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Today's Sponsor:
E. Henry Doggett III
In honor and memory of our mothers throughout the Commonwealth from Chincoteague to Cumberland Gap and Cross Junction to Clarksville. Happy Mother's Day!
Virginia’s COVID-19 restrictions — except mask mandate — could be lifted June 15
Virginians can expect all coronavirus restrictions — except for the mask mandate — to be lifted in mid-June, Gov. Ralph Northam said Thursday. Fewer than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases are being reported each day — at its peak, several thousand came in daily — and hospitalization rates are the lowest they’ve been since October, he said at a news conference from Richmond.
More than 400,000 kids ages 12 to 15 could be eligible for a vaccine next week in Va.
As the pace of vaccinations in Virginia continues to slow, a potential uptick could come as soon as early next week when the Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize use of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 to 15. In the clinical trials, the vaccine had a 100% efficacy rate, meaning that in a clinical setting, there were no infections, hospitalizations or deaths.
Opponents press McAuliffe on Amazon, policing in second Democratic primary debate
Several Democratic candidates for governor took shots at frontrunner Terry McAuliffe during the second televised debate of the campaign Thursday night, leaving the former governor defending his record on policing, luring Amazon to Virginia and assisting impoverished, majority-Black communities like Petersburg. But there didn’t appear to be a single, standout moment that might dramatically alter the dynamics of the race one month out from the June 8 primary.
Glass ceiling on statewide offices remains for Black women
Four Black women have entered the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race. If elected, the commonwealth would become the first state with a Black female governor. Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, and former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, are competing for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Former Roanoke City Sheriff Octavia Johnson is seeking the Republican nomination. Independent activist and educator Princess Blanding is running for the new Liberation Party, which she helped establish last year.
City School Board signs off on new safety model
The Charlottesville School Board unanimously approved the recommended school safety and security model that hinges on placing unarmed adults in school buildings to replace school resource officers. In the presentation and discussion leading up to Thursday’s vote, board members asked about hiring the new care and safety assistants, training employees and when police officers would be called to schools. Board members requested regular updates on the implementation of the new model.
Pandemic eviction protections could expire this summer
Measures aimed at limiting evictions amid the pandemic will come to an end this summer unless renewed by state and federal leaders. At the federal level, a Centers for Disease Control moratorium was struck down by a judge in the District of Columbia, who ruled the agency overstepped its authority. The Department of Justice is appealing, but even if they prevail, the order is scheduled to expire on June 30.
Friday Read The battle for 1042 Cutler Street
The landlord had highlighted the first of the month on his office calendar and marked it as “Pay Day,” but now the first had come and gone, the one-week grace period was ending, and for the 13th consecutive month, Romeo Budhoo had collected less than half of his total rent. “Time to try begging for it,” he said, and he grabbed his booklet of receipts and walked out to his car.
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FROM VPAP
From VPAP Maps, Timeline of COVID-19 in Virginia
Our Virginia COVID-19 dashboard features VDH vaccination data, including what percentage of the state's population has received at least one shot and the number of vaccinations per 100,000 residents in each city and county. Our dashboard also makes it easy to track the latest available data for tests performed, infections, deaths and hospital capacity. There's also a filter for each city and county, plus an exclusive per-capita ZIP Code map. Updated each morning around 10:30 a.m.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Northam hopes to lift COVID-19 restrictions on June 15, will follow CDC guidance on masks
Buoyed by rising vaccinations and falling COVID-19 cases, Gov. Ralph Northam said Thursday that he hopes to lift emergency restrictions on public gatherings and social distancing by June 15. With those restrictions due to ease on May 15 for restaurants, entertainment venues and indoor social gatherings, Northam raised the possibility that he will end them entirely a month later - if people get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease and infections continue to fall.
Virginia could completely lift capacity restrictions on businesses by June 15, Northam announces
Virginia could put an end to all capacity and distancing restrictions by June 15, Gov. Ralph Northam announced in a Thursday news briefing. It’s the first time he’s put a firm potential date on what would be the biggest rollback of the state’s emergency orders in more than a year. The governor has been gradually easing restrictions since February, when COVID-19 cases in Virginia finally declined after a massive winter surge.
STATE ELECTIONS
Police reform, Amazon deal, Petersburg among key topics as Democratic candidates for governor debate in Bristol
All five Democrats vying to become Virginia’s next governor took the debate stage in Southwest Virginia on Thursday, just shy of a month until voting closes in the June 8 Democratic primary. Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe — who polls show is far ahead of the other candidates — fielded the most attacks throughout the night. Former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy took the most forceful swings at McAuliffe, calling him “Virginia’s past.”
Democrats in Virginia governor’s race face off in 2nd debate
The Democratic candidates for Virginia governor sparred over policing and economic development in their second debate Thursday, an event that showcased the diverse styles and perspectives of the field that voters will winnow next month. In one of the debate’s sharpest exchanges, Del. Lee Carter, a self-described socialist, attacked the massive incentives the state offered to lure Amazon’s second headquarters to northern Virginia.
Democratic candidates in Virginia governor's race debate in Bristol
Former governor and Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Terry McAuliffe answered attacks during a debate Thursday with his four primary opponents at The Bristol Hotel. McAuliffe responded to digs by Del. Lee Carter, D-Manassas, and former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy during the second of four televised debates hosted by the Virginia Democratic Party. All five candidates — McAuliffe, Carter, Carroll Foy, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond — participated in the hourlong debate that was broadcast live statewide.
'Outsider businessman' and 'Trump in heels': Virginia's Republican convention proving chaotic
One of the most chaotic campaigns in Virginia history culminates Saturday when the Republican Party hosts its gubernatorial nominating convention, which analysts expect to be an indicator of where the party is headed after the Trump presidency. Seven Republicans are seeking the top nomination, six are running for lieutenant governor and four are candidates for attorney general. The method of choosing the nominees is what the party calls an “unassembled convention,” a pandemic innovation that has more than 50,000 delegates registered to vote at nearly 40 sites across the state.
Virginia G.O.P.’s Choices for Governor: ‘Trumpy, Trumpier, Trumpiest’
One candidate brands himself a “conservative outlaw.” Another boasts of her bipartisan censure by the State Senate for calling the Capitol rioters “patriots.” A third, asked about Dominion voting machines — the subject of egregious conspiracy theories on the right — called them “the most important issue” of the campaign. These are not fringe candidates for the Republican nomination for Virginia governor. They are three of the leading contenders in a race that in many ways embodies the decade-long meltdown of Republican power in Virginia, a once-purple state that has gyrated more decisively toward Democrats than perhaps any in the country.
7 Republicans vie for party’s nomination in governor’s race
Seven Republicans face off this weekend to claim their party’s nomination in the crowded race for Virginia governor. Businessman Glenn Youngkin leads in fundraising at nearly $7.7 million, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, followed by fellow businessman Pete Snyder, former House Speaker Kirk Cox and State Sen. Amanda Chase.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz stumps for gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin at Smith Mountain Lake
Seven candidates will be running in the Republican convention this Saturday, and one of them decided to make a last minute stop at Smith Mountain Lake. Working against the clock, Glenn Youngkin made one last impression on the lake community and had some help with a special guest: Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who spoke at tonight's event. Met with a max capacity at Eastlake Community Church, Youngkin and Cruz took the floor to a standing ovation and loud cheering.
Sen. Ted Cruz stumps for Glenn Youngkin in Pittsylvania County
Former presidential candidate and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz came to Pittsylvania County on Thursday morning to put his weight behind a Republican gubernatorial contender. Glenn Youngkin brought the political heavy-hitter with him to his campaign event at Owen Farm Loft, where about 100-150 people — with none of them wearing masks inside the event barn — attended at the idyllic location off Martinsville Highway.
Former Virginia speaker Kirk Cox argues he is 'most electable' of GOP gubernatorial hopefuls
Former Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox said he is the "most electable" Republican gubernatorial candidate to beat Democrats in the state’s general election in November, touting his experience and record in an exclusive interview with Fox News Thursday. Cox made his final pitch to voters, telling Fox News he has "the experience" to "hit the ground running."
Here's a pre-convention glance at the six GOP candidates for lieutenant governor
Six Republicans hope to earn a part-time salary to preside over the state Senate starting next year. The job is lieutenant governor. And the $36,321 salary isn’t the draw, it’s holding an office that puts the occupant one step from the Executive Mansion.
Local GOP delegates head to the fairgrounds
About 5,000 Republican voters are expected to cast their ballots for GOP nominees for statewide offices this Saturday, May 8 at the Prince William fairgrounds. The fairgrounds is the voting place for registered Republican delegates from Prince William County, Stafford County, Manassas and Manassas Park. It is one of 39 polling places across the state in this year’s GOP “unassembled convention.”
County Expects High Delegate Turnout For GOP Convention
With less than 180 days before the November election, thousands of delegates will travel across the state Saturday to participate in the Virginia GOP nominating convention, where they will select their candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. There are 39 voting locations set up across the commonwealth, with two locations within the sixth congressional district — the Augusta County Parks and Recreation building and the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds.
STATE GOVERNMENT
County plans for potential closure of Riverside jail
Chesterfield County is considering alternative arrangements for its inmates currently housed at Riverside Regional Jail following a state investigative panel’s recommendation that the troubled correctional facility be decertified and closed. The jail review committee, which reports to Virginia’s Board of Local and Regional Jails, voted recently to find Riverside responsible for the deaths of three inmates in 2019 and 2020. In an April 28 letter to the jail’s superintendent, Col. Larry Leabough, the Board of Supervisors noted the local government is “exploring every available option to ensure that Chesterfield County inmates are appropriately cared for.”
Box turtle ban: New proposed regulations would restrict keeping of native reptiles and amphibians
Virginia’s wildlife agency is proposing major restrictions on keeping native reptiles and amphibians as pets. The proposals would ban the keeping of box turtles altogether. Box turtles are colorful, softball-sized reptiles that have been popular pets for generations of Virginians. But wildlife officials say the animals have become imperiled by people who pluck them from the wild.
Falls Mills Lake now under Virginia state wildlife umbrella
Falls Mills Lake is officially in the hands of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and state and local officials were on hand Thursday afternoon to celebrate. The 101-acre lake along with 42 acres of wildlife habitat and a 21-acre wetland are now in a state program called Public Opportunities for Wildlife Related Recreation (POWRR), opening up more opportunities for public use.
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
Washington Football Team Announces Full Capacity Plan For 2021 NFL Season
The Washington Football Team has announced, in conjunction with the NFL's schedule release next week (May 12), their intentions to welcome back fans to FedExField at full capacity for the 2021 season. So how will Washington manage to ensure the safety of its patrons? Those plans are still a work in progress, and much like the 2020 season, the situation can change for the better or for the worse at any given moment.
Dominion plans to move coal ash at Bremo to lined landfill
Dominion Power held a public meeting at the Fork Union Community Center on Thursday night (April 29) to provide an update on its plans for the 6.2 million cubic feet of coal ash stored at their Bremo facility. About a dozen residents, masked and socially distanced, attended the meeting. The toxic ash, a byproduct of Bremo’s eight decades as a coal-fired power plant, is currently stored in what’s called the North Ash Pond near the now-idle facility.
TRANSPORTATION
Could the Metro go all the way to Quantico? There’s a $2 million study under way to find out
Could the Metro extend from Fairfax to all the way to Marine Corps Base Quantico? That is the question state transit officials are hoping to answer with a state-funded, $2 million study of one of the most traffic-blighted corridors in the United States – the region between Quantico and Springfield, where Interstate 95 meets the Washington D.C. beltway.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Lord Fairfax Community College naming task force narrows list of possible new names to five
Five top names have emerged as Lord Fairfax Community College’s naming task force continues the work of choosing a new name for the college, according to a Thursday morning news release from LFCC. The top contenders are Valley & Vista, Red Oak, Laurel Ridge, Valley & Ridge and Newbridge. The list was released in advance of a Thursday evening telephone town hall to give the public a chance to learn more about the renaming process.
Alleged double standard at W&L advances suit
A Lynchburg federal judge will allow a lawsuit against Washington & Lee University to go to a jury because a discipline committee may have applied different credibility standards to an accuser and the accused in a sexual misconduct case. U.S. District Judge Norman K. Moon last month cleared the way for a trial on whether W&L discriminated against a male student on the basis of sex in violation of Title IX.
Students and faculty look forward to fall semester and return to in-person learning
The University announced plans to return to in-person learning April 1, which will be characterized by more normal operations for key parts of University life including housing, dining, libraries, recreation and transportation. . . . The prospect of returning to normalcy is exciting yet daunting, many students and faculty members said. For example, third-year College student Katie Strickland expressed her longing to return back to the classroom alongside faculty across disciplines.
CORONAVIRUS
With Pfizer vaccine authorization for 12- to 15-year-olds expected soon, region gets ready
Governments and health districts in Virginia, Maryland and the District are preparing for about 1 million more young people to become eligible for the coronavirus vaccine as early as next week, when federal officials are expected to authorize the two-dose Pfizer regimen for 12- to 15-year-olds. Officials say the flood of newly eligible people will help use up existing supply and boost immunity as demand for the vaccine starts to ebb among the adult population.
Next week, eligible teens in Norfolk can get the Pfizer vaccine at their high schools
Eligible Norfolk teenagers can get coronavirus vaccinations at their high schools next week. The school district is the first in the region to offer on-site clinics, a move meant to make it easier for students to get the vaccine. Norfolk Public Schools is working with city and state officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to offer the shots.
VIRGINIA OTHER
Virginia has chance for change with $1 billion infusion for affordable housing
Virginia is due at least $1 billion from the federal government for affordable housing, according to experts who gathered virtually Thursday to discuss how governments and other local beneficiaries should invest those funds on long-lasting, system-transforming programs. The Roanoke Regional Housing Network hosted its 2021 housing symposium Thursday morning, attended via teleconference by interest groups, nonprofits and other stakeholders, for an audience of more than 50.
Pandemic Brings Record Number of Patients to the Wildlife Center of Virginia
When the pandemic hit, staff at the Wildlife Center of Virginia figured they were in for a quiet time. In fact, the last year turned out to be the busiest ever, with more than 3,700 animals coming in for care. . . . The Wildlife Center of Virginia is perhaps the busiest place in the state right now, with people calling from all over the Commonwealth. Founder and president Ed Clark says the pandemic prompted many to spend time outdoors.
LOCAL
Rodents, Mold, Shoddy Maintenance Plague Affordable Apartment Building
Units in the Serrano Apartments, a high-rise housing complex on Columbia Pike, have three things going for them: they are spacious, have nice views, and are affordable. “But if you go inside those units, the reality is totally different,” said Janeth Valenzuela, who has been advocating for better living conditions for Serrano tenants for two years. Mice and rat infestations. Balconies with broken glass and rust. Dirty HVAC units with water damage underneath. Shoddy maintenance.
Fairfax agritourism proposal runs into headwinds in Great Falls
Proposed new Fairfax County agritourism rules might lead to more noise and traffic, the Great Falls Citizens Association leaders warned in a recent missive to members. The Fairfax County Planning Commission on May 12 is scheduled to hold a public hearing on a zoning-ordinance amendment that would expand opportunities for agritourism, which the county defines as “any activity accessory to an agricultural operation that allows members of the general public to view or enjoy rural activities for recreational, entertainment or educational purposes.”
Loudoun County Public Schools rolls out new electric school buses
Three electric school buses joined the Loudoun County Public Schools fleet Tuesday afternoon during a ceremony at Sterling’s Park View High School — and two more are on the way. “This is a really big day for us,” LCPS Assistant Superintendent for Support Services Kevin Lewis said. “It represents a huge step for us in our sustainability footprint.”
Loudoun County considers changing form of government; awaits report on establishing police department
After some Loudoun County Supervisors voiced support for establishing a county police department, board members launched an initiative last July to study changing its form of government. If the concept moves forward, a police department would fall under the purview of the board, unlike the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, which operates independently. County leaders and residents have expressed mixed reaction to the idea, which could impact county law enforcement among other operations.
Councilman Michael Jones defends $5,000 campaign contribution from potential casino operator
A key figure in the competition to develop a Richmond casino was an early contributor to 9th District City Councilman Michael J. Jones’ now ended campaign for the House of Delegates. In January, Alfred Liggins, chief executive officer of Urban One, contributed $5,000 to Dr. Jones’ then fledgling effort to challenge incumbent Delegate Betsy B. Carr in the June 8 Democratic primary. Mr. Liggins, the son of media mogul Cathy Hughes, has spearheaded Urban One’s proposal to build a $517 million casino-resort in South Side.
After deaths of mother and infant, Richmond City Council earmarks money for gun violence prevention
Last week’s shooting in South Side that left a new mother and her 3-month-old daughter dead and three others injured has spurred the Richmond City Council to earmark money for gun violence prevention in its upcoming budget. Council members met Thursday for their final work session ahead of a vote next week on the 2021-22 spending plan, and they set aside $133,000 for two staff positions for coordinating a community-based response after gun violence.
Local Health Districts Launch Community Doula Program
About 700 women die from pregnancy-related complications each year according to the Centers for Disease Control. In Virginia, Black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy than white women. Health experts and lawmakers are working to address the persistent racial disparities regarding maternal health. As part of those efforts, the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts established a maternal health task force, seeking the help of health specialists from Urban Baby Beginnings and Birth in Color RVA to find solutions.
School system opens first pre-kindergarten center in Chesterfield
With the first lady of Virginia, Pamela Northam, in attendance, Chesterfield County Public Schools held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting last Friday for the county’s first public pre-kindergarten center. The school system has spent $1.1 million to repurpose the former Harrowgate Elementary School as the Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy, which will serve 418 3- and 4-yearolds from the eastern and southern parts of Chesterfield.
Virginia Beach salon owner wants to offer permanent makeup services. But a city zoning law won’t allow it.
A city law that aims to limit the number of tattoo parlors and body piercing establishments in Virginia Beach is preventing a beauty salon owner from providing a type of makeup service. Allegra Staicer, owner of Beauty Bungalows in Redmill Commons, wants to offer microblading — a type of semi-permanent makeup to enhance eyebrows — but she can’t get past step No. 1 with the city.
Like Fauquier, neighboring counties struggle to deal with fill dirt issue
Fauquier County officials have been wrestling for more than three years with landowners who have turned their farms into receiving sites for construction soil and debris. But they are not alone. Loudoun and Prince William have had to deal with the same issues, some of which date back more than 30 years.
All Winchester families qualify for Pandemic EBT benefits as program extends into summer
If you have at least one child attending Winchester Public Schools, you likely may have received a white card in the mail that says “Virginia P-EBT.” It’s a debit card to buy nutritious foods, no strings attached. P-EBT stands for Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program, which is a federal program created in the spring of 2020 to assist low-income households with their nutritional needs while schools were closed due to COVID-19.
Today's Sponsor:
E. Henry Doggett III
In honor and memory of our mothers throughout the Commonwealth from Chincoteague to Cumberland Gap and Cross Junction to Clarksville. Happy Mother's Day!
EDITORIALS
Virginia voters say they're right of center, so why do they elect liberals?
The most insightful poll of the 2021 campaign season comes with warning signs for Democrats and Republicans alike. The extent to which either party takes heed of the results may go a long way toward determining whether Democrats retain their control of state government after the November elections, or whether Republicans can win a statewide election for the first time in a dozen years.
GOP convention limits voter involvement
Virginia's Republican Party is entitled to choose its nominees for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general any way it pleases. However, opting for a drive-through convention rather than a primary does not seem designed to grow the party. A party wishing to be more inclusive might want to entice as many Virginians as possible into the process. A convention certainly does not do that.
Outreach needed to address Virginia’s teacher shortage
The challenge of getting schools back to something like normal as the pandemic wanes will be made much tougher by a nationwide shortage of teachers. Virginia’s leaders should be mounting an all-out campaign to attract good people to this vital profession. The pandemic has made the shortage of teachers here and across the United States worse, but the problem had been growing for years. The Virginia Department of Education’s most recent statewide report on teacher job vacancies is from 2019, before the pandemic. That year, there were more than 1,000 unfilled teaching positions across the commonwealth.
OP-ED
Pudner: Final 5 revival for grassroots state party conventions
The combination of ranked choice voting and the VA State GOP convention May 8 may offer a pathway to a “Final 5” election process that revives the giant State Conventions of the 1990s. In the 1990s, three efforts in Virginia turned out 13,000 or more Republican state delegates to choose the Republican party’s statewide nominees. Candidates and their teams visited every County or City GOP Mass Meeting and let the people in each county ask questions of the field rep or the candidate themselves.
Smith: Improving accessibility for telehealth visits will make health care more equitable
The COVID-19 pandemic created a new normal for Americans requiring us to rely on technology for everything from ordering groceries to accessing health care. Our increased reliance on digital technologies heightened our awareness of the digital divide, the gap in access to internet services between high- and low-income people. Simply having access to the internet does not ensure equal opportunity. Individuals also must possess digital skills. That gap in digital skills is evident in the rapid shift to telehealth services. For telehealth to be accessible for all, Virginians need to consider additional support to increase digital opportunity for seniors.
Becker: To achieve digital equity in education, students need policymakers on their side
As the pandemic swept the nation, schools and districts across the country confronted the “digital divide” or “homework gap” — the differences in access to and use of educational technologies — when they were forced to pivot to emergency remote instruction. For many schools, and especially those that serve low-income students, this pivot meant an urgent need to provide access to computing devices and the internet. There also was an urgent need for just-in-time professional development for teachers. Yet, despite tremendous efforts, gaps remained.